"Just Say Hello." It's a simple concept, but a powerful message, and fueled by the legendary media giant that is Oprah Winfrey, the three words are catching on and encouraging compassion and connection among those that subscribe to sentiment.

But what about those that don't? What of the men and women that exist on the fringes of society? Welcoming Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who wrote an extensive article on the topic of human interaction for "O, The Oprah Magazine," Piers Morgan inquired as to the potential of a correlation between isolationism and the propensity to inflict harm.

"Many mass shootings in America involve people who are described as loners, and indeed many criminal acts of that kind are committed by people who are loners," noted the "Piers Morgan Live" host. "Is a loner the same as somebody who is lonely?"

Seated across from Morgan, and next to Gayle King, the magazine's editor-at-large, Gupta offered his professional insight:

"Not necessarily. There are people who self-impose, they become loners because they choose to become that way. And that doesn't mean lonely people necessarily have chosen that way of life. And as Gayle and I have talked about from the very beginning, most people who are lonely are not at all violent," said CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent. "There's not an absolute or any kind of correlation, really, there at all."

The onset and popularity of social media has created an environment that celebrates achievements and adventures. But for King, such a world presents a disproportionate sense of reality, and leaves a large portion of the population left to suffer quietly:

"In this age of Instagram and twitter, we're always posting all the great stuff we're doing: I'm here, I'm there, I'm out with friends. No one's going to send you a picture, Piers, of laying in the bed in the fetal position, or where they just don't feel particularly good about themselves," described the "CBS This Morning" co-anchor. "What gets me, you can be a very well-known, outgoing, social person and still feel that you don't have any friends. That you are still not connected ... you can be surrounded by people, and still feel 'I'm all alone.'"

I am embarrassed to say this: All it took was last night's mention of what tonight's topic would be and I began to sob...I am an independent woman and a small business owner. I have raised three children and for as long as I can recall there were countless times that I became so excited when I knew I was going to have time alone. I knew I could read, I could do whatever I wanted or I could do nothing. Please believe me that sort of time is needed by everyone – but it has nothing to do with loneliness. I am so very lonely and I know the difference. I am a gregarious outgoing person, I have always said "hello" to strangers and have always been comfortable walking into a group of strangers and taking part in the conversation. Today however, I know loneliness and I have suffered the physical, emotional and mental damage. For a long time I believed I was depressed. But nowadays when I have the rare opportunity to interact with others for any reason – once I return home alone I realize how intensely happy I was for that hour or two. It lasts me a day or two and in those two days I have all the motivation I need to do anything! I become creative and I dream big happy dreams,..and then a few days later I am almost unrecognizable. I feel starved. My spirit feels dead...it is so horrible and I would have never imagined EVER that this could be me. I hope this program opens some doors.

An inter-generational group of young and "seasoned" 🙂 people joined together in Harlem earlier this year and started a similar global movement – "The Hello Movement"! http://www.thehellomovement.com. We discussed the issues affecting our community, particularly our youth, and posed the question "What can we do right now to take action?". How can we combat feelings of invisibility, loneliness, and disregard? How can we make people feel that they are seen and that they matter? Like Gayle, we chose to take the first step by just saying hello!

In the past few months we have been committed to doing this work and have been spreading it in New York, Newark, DC, Chicago, and even Aruba! The movement is simple – give a warm hello to at least three people a day and invite others to join the movement! You can join the movement by visiting http://www.thehellomovement.com. Read the blog post that launched the movement here: http://everydaybutterfly.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-hello-movement.html.

I watched the show last night as I was concerned as a 60 year old single woman and the effect of this on my medical state. First let me say, it was a good topic to cover but I found that Piers and Oprah were making more fun out of something that was a serious topic. I often find myself battling lonliness and it is not because I want to be alone. Daughters and grandchildren who live close by too busy to see you and often don't include me in special events (volleyball tourneys and concerts, etc.) I got tired of asking to be included. When I called and left a message for my grandaughter and didn't get a call back, my daughter said, she doesn't repond to phone calls. If you want to talk to her, you have to text her. I'm sorry but I miss that personal interaction. I don't want to text, I want to hear a voice, I want to verbally communicate and of course, in person would be great but I'll take a phone call anyday. I got tired of calling, emailing and actually sending letters without responses. I have often said that I could be dead in my apartment before anyone notices I am hurt or worst case, even dead. Sadly, we have all made excuses just for not "saying hello". The rich and famous on your show might not be in the same case because they have all the publicity they need but some of us as you mentioned last night just briefly, we want to be validated and acknowledged. Just saddened that more light wasn't focused on the underlying implications and more on how we can all just start communicating. Elevator jokesd is a good way but I would have rather listened to Dr. Sanjay Gupta more than hearing Piers, Gail and Oprah joke about it. Just saying.....

"What gets me, you can be a very well-known, outgoing, social person and still feel that you don't have any friends. That you are still not connected ... you can be surrounded by people, and still feel 'I'm all alone.'" - isn't this because of "grieving the absence of company" as William Deresiewicz wrote in his brilliant essay "The End of Solitude"? Loneliness hurts when you fight it, avoid it and grieve while in it. I think one's loneliness would be abated if one "stuck to it all of your life" as DH Lawrence wrote or Climb Down Into Loneliness as I wrote on my blog: http://sensitivenewworld.wordpress.com/2014/02/19/climb-down-into-loneliness/

Loneliness is serious, it's not a laughing matter any more than depression & estrangement it. Unless you are not in the shoes of the person who is suffering from depression, loneliness you don't know the feeling. This illness worse than cancer. It's the worst curse an one can suffer. I have estranged my parents, sibling and most of cousins. I feel very alone at the end ot the day. I worry my child has no siblings & no family. My texting friends keep moving on & my FB friends are shallow morons all they do is post stupid photos wanting approval. It's always about themself. My shrinks wants me to live for today right. I was happy once as a child. I was happy. I don't know what happened to my past .... I just cramped it.

Thank you for starting this topic. I suffer from loneliness. On the outside I look happy. I have a great job. I travail & I have friends.... So what's wrong. I have family I don't meet because I cut them out of my life. I feel I was not loved regardless how many times they have tried to let me know they love me. I have no feeling of love. I am single. I am 46 years old. I am a very angry person because I was robed of my feeling love. My feeling were robed by an illness called depression & loneliness. No, a little pick or purple buttons will not make me happy. Happiness comes from within & I don't have it.

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